I've never read a novel without romance

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by efo, Jun 12, 2021.

  1. efo

    efo Well-Known Member

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    ... is it normal?... just now, I looked at my "novels I've finished" list and there is 29 novels in it. and when I think about it, I couldn't remember anything without romance. I have some rules when I choose novels, which are...
    1. it has to be completely translated.
    2. no unrequited love endings.
    3. ( when it's a BL novel. ) no seme protagonists.
    4. no harem. ( not strictly. I may try it someday. )
    5. no bad endings. ( which is almost same as the second one. )
    maybe because of these my options is a little limited, ( but I'm sure most of the people have rules like these. ) sooo maybe I can start trying to change this "always romance" thingy with reading less romance and more plot kind of novels like...Thousand Autumns when it's translated... :blobpeek:[ I KNEW I WAS LOOKING FOR AN EXCUSE TO READ THAT!!! ( some people know what I'm making fun of. ) ]
    so I have 3 ( 2 ) questions/things I want answers to.
    • recommendations like that.
    • what is your rules?
    • ... that's it.:blobsweat:

    thank you :aww:
     
  2. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    While diversifying your tastes and trying out new webnovels is a good thing, it's not something you should feel like you have to do just because others insist it's the right thing to do. For me, the novels here are mostly just for pure entertainment and so I never feel pressured to try out anything new and just stick to what I'm comfortable with. Not saying the payoff for trying out new things is necessarily meagre or negligible or that trying to change things up is unrewarding, but it is your distraction and ultimately your choice.
     
  3. Fictionaddiction

    Fictionaddiction Well-Known Member

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    Are you a girl? I've noticed that girls rarely read no romance novels. I've also noticed that almost all shoujos/joseis contain romance.
    I've noticed that guy targeted novels could span over 1000+ chapters without a mention of even a girl not to mention any love interest. except harem novels (which aren't romantic at all, just a bunch of girls running around )
    Conclusion .... Idk.
    no really.


    Maybe girls have romance as a priority in wish fulfillment?
    P.s. It would really be embarrassing if you turned out to be a guy in the end, so then you could just ignore this wacko post.
     
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  4. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    I don't think you are completely off the mark, but I'm more or less like the OP. And I'm a guy. And no, I don't consider harem romance either. :blobpeek:
     
  5. oblueknighto

    oblueknighto Blue Person

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    I recommend Lord of the Mysteries. There's no romance at all.
     
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  6. Lissi

    Lissi 『Queen of Lissidom』『Holy Chibi』『Western Birdy』『⚓』

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    Uhm, same here, yeah. I feel like all of the novels I've read here have romance somewhere in the story, even if it's not with the leads...
     
  7. efo

    efo Well-Known Member

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    yeah I am :blobsmilehappy:
     
  8. TaffyGirl13

    TaffyGirl13 just a casual translator~

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    I’m the exact opposite - I avoid romance haha. But sadly, most translated novels have romance. You can look at the rec list in my signature for a bunch of great no/minimal romance options but my personal favourites are:

    Legend of Sun Knight
    Yu Brothers’ Case Book/Case Book
    Fu Xing Dong Lai
    No Hero
    Chen Yue Zhi Yao
    The Real Awakening
    Unique Legend
    Residence of Monsters

    Also, if you want to try more plot-focused BLs, read Earth is Online and Card Room.
     
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  9. Fictionaddiction

    Fictionaddiction Well-Known Member

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    I see:sneaky:
    Ah right , you should probably post this in the recommendation thread if it's not a discussion you want?

    Buuuut if you want a very mild late romance but the story is very very entertaining , then try
    https://www.novelupdates.com/series/fortune-teller-master/
    Supernatural Rebirth Genius Girl Diviner
    And other novels whose names escape me right now but general rule is you could search in tags, MC with a talent? and the story would be based on that talent while romance takes a back seat.
    Shounen wise with zero romance there is:
    An immortal's trip to immortality
    And almost all novels on Wuxiaworld.
     
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  10. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    I did read a handful of stories without romance in them, but like... Well, they are really not the norm.

    To put it simply, I like romance, and the majority of people like romance too... It's just normal to have some romance in any story.

    It's not particularly strange to have read no stories with no romance in them, they simply aren't the norm.
     
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  11. Nimroth

    Nimroth Someone

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    I have mixed feelings about romance in fiction, as I never really look for romance stories in particular, but I don't mind reading them if they happen to catch my attention for some other reason, and the romance parts can be great if done well.
    But sometimes I really wish a lot of authors didn't just throw in romance just for the sake of it, or teased with what could be interesting plots in stories that gives all the time just to the romance.
     
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  12. asriu

    asriu fu~ fu~ fu~

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    this cat at it core is solitary, hermit cat who dozing around which... enuf with those thing
    this cat like story which at it core rarely have romance but it is possible depend on target of demographic or part of character interaction~ military, strategy, crime, mystery, supernatural~ those theme at its own rarely connect with romance unfortunately on WN/LN novel translation such theme rarely pop up or it part element of other focused story~ well it niche reader nyahaha~

    story with romance or without have its own reader base so it purrfectly nyormal to prefer one than another~
     
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  13. Deleted member 283793

    Deleted member 283793 Guest

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    Romance is all I care about! I live for romance! I am a hopeless romantic! I only see hearts and pink everywhere I look!

    *clears throat* I have been trying to diversify my reading genre though. Maybe it is from outside pressure. But I think trying(and then dropping after a few chapters, because no romance is like food without salt?) won't do much harm.
     
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